What dirt path behind the Port garage? Eh? I park my car outside the garage nearly every day and can tell you there isn't a dirt path... unless he means the grassy area that runs in front of the Starship Yacht Warehouse... but that isn't his land, anyway. Whatever. Glad to see they plan to straighten out 11th street. It'll be nice to have that street open for parallel parking (I hope).

Also, not sure if there is demand for an outdoor screen. Channelside Cinemas will be opening the OCL soon on the second floor. If you look at Channelside from the street and notice the blue sign over the tunnel, there is a balcony. Behind the sign, they have built and bar and installed several tables. Not sure about the delay but the Outdoor Cinema Lounge will have a door on the street (there is actually a small sign posted, if you look carefully) and will have a movie screen on the wall for art house showings in the summer. There is a set of stairs that takes you up to that rather large area... should be nice. Finally, there is word that once Sunrise Cinemas closes in Hyde Park, 3 of Channelside's 9 35mm screens will be dedicated wholly to independent film. They are toying with the idea of "Sunrise at Channelside" as the naming for the new Independent section of the theater, although it will have no association with the Sunrise Cinema chain. This is supposedly worked out with the owners... not sure when we might see this happening. Same goes for the OCL, despite the bar being nearly ready...

I think this is a message that everyone gets, but this is a reply to my email

Quote:

Hello Mike,

Thank you for your interest in Seaboard Square! We’re busy putting the final touches on an exciting expansion of this new urban community – the Square squared. More spacious homes, more rooftop gardens, pools, gathering areas – plus every urban convenience you can think of, and more access to hip Florida living, with spectacular views to boot. More, more, more!

Now you’re No. 1 on the list to receive the very latest news as it becomes available. We’ll keep you posted as plans unfold.

The Sales Center is not opened at this time but if you have immediate questions please give us a call at (813) 223-1128

__________________Corporations Are People Too - Mitt RomneyFor the People that dress up like Corporations.

Renters To Find Home In Channel District
Skip directly to the full story.
BY JANIS D. FROELICH The Tampa Tribune

Published: Aug 17, 2006

CHANNEL DISTRICT - Developer Michael DeMarcay said Seaport Channelside was supposed to be on an expedited brownfield program, meaning the much-anticipated large apartment complex would be ready to go as soon as the land was cleaned up and the paperwork completed.

More than two years and many government delays later, Seaport Channelside is about ready to break ground. DeMarcay, vice president of Synergy Properties, estimates work will begin in 45 to 60 days.

He said dealing with the federal Environmental Protection Agency isn't easy.

"If we were on the expedited program, I'd hate to see what the other programs were like," he said.

The city previously used the 7½-acre site for storage and transportation needs, including a yard full of stop signs and lights. The city sold the property to Synergy for $5.5 million in April 2004 after Synergy proposed what was judged to be the best use for the land based on a competition among developers.

"The need for rental is crucial in the downtown," DeMarcay said.

With boundaries of Twiggs, Meridian, Raymond and 12th streets, Synergy plans an approximately $86 million complex on the Channel District's northern boundary. Ranging from one to three bedrooms, 426 apartments will be built along with 12,000 square feet of retail.

Rent at the five-story Seaport will be $1,040 to $2,600 for units of 800 to 2,000 square feet, DeMarcay said. There will be one parking space for each bedroom.

DeMarcay said the project was planned to have comparable rent with Harbour Island. When the city council approved the land sale, it was told rent would be $990 to $1,700. The range will probably be adjusted when Seaport is completed in 2009.

Christine Burdick, executive director of the Tampa Downtown Partnership, said she wants moderation in rent.

"I know it's somewhat difficult to find a solution to affordable rental property in the downtown," she said. "But I trust the marketplace. The trend towards a better climate for developers to consider building rental units is happening."

I am guessing that this project is built with the sole intent being that it will not become condos. I think there might be a problem with the criminal element of the Tampa Park Apts. If this place is built I wouldn't mind getting a place in there if they are appealing.

__________________Jacques Derrida (1930 - 2004)To pretend, I actually do the thing: I have therefore only pretended to pretend.

Is this the land on the farthest point north in Channelside next to the Selmon Expressway?

Good news anyhow!!!

Was there any guarantee this project won't go condo?

yep... It's part of the arc of land adjacent to the south side of the Selmon, which defines the northernmost boundary of Channelside... It's next door to the Expressway Authority's new digs, which is on the NE corner of Meridian and Twiggs. (btw, this is the same intersection where the Selmon upper deck lanes terminate)

I am guessing that this project is built with the sole intent being that it will not become condos. I think there might be a problem with the criminal element of the Tampa Park Apts. If this place is built I wouldn't mind getting a place in there if they are appealing.

What? Criminals? This is a luxury condo district with rents in the $2000-a-month range, not some crack town subsidized apartments.

It took a long time for the clouds to part, but now, Brooks Byrd sees only Blu skies ahead.

After four years, the developer envisions what he believes to be a finish line for getting under way on construction of his Blu residential and retail development.

Byrd has submitted revised plans to the city that he hopes will finally ensure approval of the project next to the Channelside entertainment complex along the Garrison Channel.

The main changes involve removing a grocery store and moving the development's main entrance from Beneficial Drive to Garrison Street. Garrison borders the Channelside plaza's west side, where patrons pull up for valet parking.

In February, the City Council rejected a plan that would have included a 58,000-square-foot retail center plus the grocery store.

The new plan has no supermarket and just 25,000 feet of retail, Byrd said. It still includes two 30-story towers with a total of 250 condominiums.

"With this new design, we're not adding any additional traffic than what's on there today," Byrd said. "It's a direct response to what the folks on Harbour Island wanted."

The entrance change was key to many island residents, for whom the Beneficial Drive bridge is one of only two ways to enter and exit the island. The other is the Harbour Island Boulevard bridge, near the Tampa Convention Center.

The original Blu plan would have required residents or shoppers entering Blu from downtown or the Channel District to make a left turn across traffic on Beneficial. Traffic studies estimated that would add up to 6,000 cars a day at the site.

That was unacceptable to island residents, said Dave Schlingman, president of the Harbour Island Community Services Association.

"That was absolutely going to choke off Harbour Island," Schlingman said. "It was going to make the Meridian Avenue/Channelside/Beneficial intersection a nightmare."

Joyce Schauer, president of the Harbour Island South Neighborhood Association, said "the whole density and the flow of traffic would have almost shut down Beneficial, in my opinion.

"We've always been concerned with the ability of emergency vehicles to access Harbour Island - it really is a safety and security issue."

Both Schauer and Schlingman credited Byrd, who developed the Grandview condo building on Harbour Island, for working with residents to revise the project.

"Everybody hit a home run with this," Schlingman said. "We were just elated when (Byrd Corp.) came back with the new plan."

The City Council will review the plan Sept. 14. And though the proposed project will not be exactly what Byrd first envisioned, he's happy to have reached a consensus with the neighbors.

"I'm very enthusiastic about this," Byrd said. "It's been tough to wait, but I'm thrilled to be moving forward."

I don't understand the reasoning to not have a grocery store. I can see how moving the main entrance to the other side of the property would help, but doesn't everyone on Harbour Island still need to go grocery shopping somewhere? It seems as if they have a suburban attitude about traffic in an urban setting. Why are all these people driving to the grocery store anyway if they live right there?

Now the people living in Blu will have to get in their car and drive somewhere as well as the people across the street in ToC. The people living on H.I will definetely have to drive somewhere. The nearest grocery store that I know of is a Publix on Bayshore & Platt.

There is a planned grocery store at Grand Central (the "North" Side of the Channel District). I would think, though, that the long term population projections of Channelside, Harbour Island, Ybor, and the Central Park Development area would make 2 grocery stores feasible for the area.

The problem is that the grocery store would've caused to much traffic at and near the intersection of Beneficial and Channelside. That is debtable if its true or not but thats what the city came up with. Hopefully we'll get a grocery store somewhere else in the Southern half of Channelside soon.

Yeah, saw that at the other blog. I'm waiting for a higher quality rendering, but that really shows the scope of the project. I think you can see Place Phase II in the rendering, but I'm not sure... doesn't seem to be tall enough. Anyone see what I'm talking about?